Long training days gearing up for a horse show or putting the finishing touches on a green horse can really take a toll. If you were training for a half marathon or tried skiing for the first time, you’d be sore too, right? Helping your horse recover from these sessions is key to a long, positive relationship. We asked our professional, Brad Barkemeyer, what his methods are to alleviate soreness due to heavy workouts or show days.
Q: Hey Brad, what’s your strategy for recovery after intense training days or long days at a show?
A: Depending on the program, certain days in the training schedule can be more demanding than others. It can depend on conditioning needs, learning new maneuvers, or polishing up transitions before a show. That’s when it’s key to take extra care of the horse’s body. I like to do that with Absorbine Veterinary Liniment, slightly diluted with water, and in a spray bottle for ease of application. I use it all over their body and especially on their back after a hard workout. It’s really good for horses that can become a little back sore. As a general practice at home, at shows, or standing in the stall I really like the Bigeloil Liquid Gel Liniment rubbed down the entire leg, front and back. Really working the areas around the stifle, hock, and down the cannon bone to the pasterns.
If we need to poultice wrap them over night, the best time-saving product on the market is the Bigeloil Quilted Poultice Leg Wraps! I can’t tell you how great it is to have a product that conforms to the leg immediately and there is zero of that messy poultice nonsense. Just set the wrap around the leg, and in the morning there’s no laborious clean-off time. Comes right off cleanly!
Absorbine Veterinary Liniment was formulated to soothe and provides powerful fast relief of temporary muscular and joint soreness, swelling, and stiffness. Formulated with a blend of natural herbs and essential oils, it soothes the pain and swelling of tissues due to arthritis. Click here to read about how this true “medicine chest in a bottle” helps horses in more ways than one since 1892.
Bigeloil Liquid Gel Liniment for horses delivers a more moderate sensation than the Absorbine Veterinary Liniment Gel. It is in the same invigorating Bigeloil Liniment formula, but in a fast-acting gel that’s easy to use and allows drip-free application when treating localized pain. Learn more about the warm-to-cool rating scale here.
Bigeloil Quilted Poultice Leg Wraps are the “no-mess” leg poultice. They make a tried-and-true method of leg care quick and easy, offering the benefits of traditional ingredients in an innovative wrap. Unique quilted fiber paper pockets contain the Kaolin clay and Epsom salt so no residue is left on the legs—and there’s no cleanup during application or removal! Read about how application is as easy as 1-2-3 here!
Like the insight into a pro’s secret sauce to horse care? Want answers to additional question? Click here to read more from our Pros.
